Magic numbers, wildcard tiebreakers, Ohtani stats

The six-month slog was reduced to just three games. The emotional standstill will give way to complete relief.

And Major League Baseball's playoff picture will likely finally be sorted out this weekend.

“The last few days, after a couple of wins, you could feel it in everyone in here,” said Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, whose club went from a dead team on foot to the postseason thanks to a three-game sweep Washington. “Taking the bus back to the hotel – hey, we’re almost there, let’s get the victory, let’s celebrate.

“We can taste it.”

Lugo's Royals will enter their final series of the weekend in Atlanta with the magic number one, meaning a win over the Braves or a Minnesota loss in any of their three games against Baltimore will send KC into the playoffs for the first time since 2015 .

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